- Two-sided stele: If the steles of the Ly - Tran dynasties were all flat stele with two sides, slightly sloping towards the bottom: "Some steles, due to the nature of the royal court, had exceptionally large sizes, the rest were mostly of average size with a ratio of about 3 width/5 length" [27, p. 180-186], then in the Mac dynasty: "Mainly flat steles with 1 or 2 sides, placed on the back of a turtle or on a square stone pedestal... The size of the stele in the Mac dynasty was moderate, averaging 0.6m x 0.9m" [55, p. 12]. By the 17th century, two-sided stele was the most popular type of stele (22/29 stele).
The two-sided stele can be divided into two types: the stone stele with the front side usually recording the name of the stele and the main content of the stele erection, the back side recording the names of the association leaders, the people who contributed money and the two-sided stele, one side carved with a relief statue is a portrait of the elected queen, the statue is both a portrait and a stylized one. The stele is commonly in the form of two sides, the other side
The front of the statue is engraved with relief, the back is engraved with information about the person whose statue is created such as name, surname, title, date of birth, worship regulations ... even the person
We engrave the year of creation of the stele on the edge of the stele. The statue stele is usually 0.8m - 1.0m high; 0.6m - 0.7m wide. The relief statue is usually 0.5m - 0.7m high; 0.3m - 0.5m wide like the 2 steles of Thay Pagoda (Quoc Oai) created during the Thinh Duc and Khanh Duc periods.
The type of stele statues appeared since the Tran Dynasty, but in the 17th - 18th centuries, they appeared with great density, especially in the middle and late 17th century. Although the remaining quantity is less than other types of stele, the stele statues contributed a very special type of stele to the stele collection of this period. In the early 18th century, the statues were still created on stone stele but the carvings were not as elaborate and sophisticated as the 17th century stele statues. The portrait style was also reduced, replaced by stylized and symbolic statues. The rough carvings did not say anything about personality or emotional state.
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17th century stone steles of some pagodas in the suburbs of Hanoi (survey of 10 districts in the west and south of Hanoi) - 24 -
17th century stone steles of some pagodas in the suburbs of Hanoi (survey of 10 districts in the west and south of Hanoi) - 15 -
17th century stone steles of some pagodas in the suburbs of Hanoi (survey of 10 districts in the west and south of Hanoi) - 13 -
Statistics of Titles of Writers in 17th Century Temple Steles in Some Suburban Districts of Hanoi -
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Thus, the 17th century stone steles have a relatively equal ratio between width and height (about 3/4). The average height of the stele is from 0.9m to 1.2m, but there are also larger steles. In which, the stele forehead has an average size of 0.2m - 0.3m, the height ratio of the 2-sided stele forehead is on average 1/4 of the height of the entire stele, the part of the stele name engraved under the stele forehead has an average size of 0.05m to 0.07m, many stele have quite beautiful decorative borders.
like the stele of Boi Khe pagoda, So pagoda (Thanh Oai) ... The border of the stele depends on the
Steles come in large or small sizes with a border that fits the forehead and the foot of the stele, but on average the border is 0.05m to 0.07m wide. The average thickness of the stele is 0.1m to 0.2m, but there are some steles that are quite thick, such as the Thay Pagoda stele (Quoc Oai) created in 1653; the Huong Pagoda stele (My Duc) is 0.3m - 0.4m thick and decorated with many rich images. The two-sided stele base has many different forms, but the most common is the turtle-shaped stele base, such as the Dau Pagoda stele (Thuong Tin), La Khe Pagoda stele (Ha Dong).
In addition, some steles have a rectangular base that is integral with the body of the stele, such as the Huong Pagoda stele (My Duc), on which are decorated with feng shui statues.
rich. In addition, the two-sided stele has no base, which is the case when the stele is attached to the wall or buried in the foundation …
In short, the steles record the construction and restoration of buildings, with beautiful and vivid decorative motifs, while the small-sized steles are often the steles of the common people, with simple decorations.
- 4-sided stele: Compared to the previous period, mainly flat steles with 2 sides, 4-sided stele rarely appeared: "The 4-sided pillar stele type was popular from the 17th century onwards, but only 2 steles were found in the Mac Dynasty" [55, p. 12].
Four-sided steles in 17th-century pagodas in the suburbs of Hanoi have only 04/29 steles, with the top of the steles being cylinders, mainly concentrated in the mid- and late 17th-century period. Like the two-sided steles, the four-sided steles have a width-to-height ratio of
and relatively long, with a common width from 0.6m to 0.8m; height from 1.2m to 1.4m. On top of the stele is a pointed pyramid or cylinder (average height from 0.2m - 0.3m). This type of stele is often found in Dau Pagoda (Thuong Tin), Hung Giao Pagoda (Thanh Oai). In which, the stele forehead has an average size of 0.4m - 0.5m, the height ratio of the 4-sided stele forehead is on average 1/4 of the height of the entire stele. The stele name is engraved under the stele forehead with an average size from 0.05m to 0.07m, many stele have a decorative border. The border has a width from 0.05m to 0.07m, similar to the size of the 2-sided stele border. The base of the 4-sided stele is commonly square, 3-tiered, with an average height from 0.1m to 0.2m.
Thus, during the Ly, Tran, Le So, and Mac dynasties, stone steles were commonly 2-sided, 4-sided steles rarely appeared. In the 17th century, stone steles had many different shapes, in the early 17th century, 2-sided steles were common, but in the middle and late 17th century, 4-sided steles appeared more often. That created a richness in the shape of stone steles during this period.
2.3.2. Stone stele decoration layout:
As in previous periods, the decorative motifs on 17th-century stone steles were carved on the stele forehead, the two side borders and the stele foot border quite symmetrically. However, not all stele have decorative motifs, the majority of steles without decorative motifs are the post-steles of the common class and are small in size.
If the steles from the Ly - Tran dynasties often followed a common pattern with almost fixed themes, the stele forehead was carved with a dragon or phoenix facing the square box with the stele name (usually written in seal script or clerical script); the stele forehead border and stele body border were often carved with chrysanthemum or lotus flowers, the stele bottom border was decorated with stylized water wave patterns in many forms, sometimes even fish, turtles, etc., then in the Mac dynasty: "Decorative patterns on the stele forehead were common.
The most popular is the cloud-fringed sun on 80/147 steles, followed by the moon-dragon theme on 42 steles; a few others are phoenix-animal themes. The side borders are mainly decorated with vine motifs. The lower borders are lotus petals and vines, others are animal shapes, dragon nests” [55, p. 14]. The decoration on 17th-century stone steles is also divided into 3 main parts (stele forehead, stele border and stele base), but the decorative forms on stone steles, as well as on wooden architecture... no longer follow a common pattern like previous periods, but begin to have great innovation, bearing a strong traditional folk character. Besides, this period has stone steles without decorative motifs, most of which are small-sized post-steles of the common people.
- Stele forehead: The 17th century double-sided stone stele has a high stele forehead and the middle part is more curved than the Ly, Tran, Le So, Mac dynasties... The average height of the stele forehead in this period is from 0.2m - 0.3m, equal to 1/4 of the height of the stone stele, but there are also large stele with the height of the stele forehead up to 0.4m - 0.5m such as the stele of Thay Pagoda (Quoc Oai), So Pagoda (Thanh Oai)... The stele name is engraved horizontally under the stele forehead. The engraved letters in Khai style are popular.
If the characteristic of decorative patterns on the stele forehead of the Ly - Tran period is the dragon facing the sun, then the 17th century stele has a different transformation that reflects the style of the era. The dragon of this period no longer holds the exclusive position, instead there are images of unicorns, phoenixes, cranes, deer... facing the sun on both sides. Interspersed are vines or lotus flowers, chrysanthemums associated with Buddhism... on the stele forehead border. The carvings on the 17th century stele forehead are more sophisticated, rich, flexible and beautiful than the stele in the later period.
In addition, the stone steles of this period were carved by many people, so the images carved on the stele forehead also had differences between the steles of professional craftsmen managed by the state and those carved by professional craftsmen in the folk and amateur craftsmen in the folk. Because the steles were carved by a team of craftsmen
State-run professions are normative, it is strictly regulated on how to create the content of the stele and decorative images, the stele forehead is mostly carved with symbols such as dragons, phoenixes,... related to kings, queens, mandarins... Besides, the stone steles do not follow any norms, so many images related to everyday life are also carved on the stele forehead.
Thus, the decoration of the stele foreheads in this period did not strictly follow the decoration style of the previous period, but had a great breakthrough. In addition to the symbols of royalty such as dragons, phoenixes, suns, etc., animals such as unicorns, cranes, deer, etc. were also carved; at the same time, there was a distinction between the stele carved by professional craftsmen managed by the state and those carved by professional craftsmen and amateur craftsmen among the people.
- Stele frieze: In the early 17th century, most of the stele frieze was carved flat with the engraved surface of the stele, the phenomenon of notches on the stele frieze appeared very little, but by the end of the 17th century (Chinh Hoa period), the phenomenon of stele frieze being carved in relief compared to the stele surface was quite common. The stele body frieze, stele forehead and stele foot with 1 side, 2 sides, 4 sides in the 17th century had an average size of 0.05m to 0.07m.
Around the stele's body border, stele's forehead border and stele's foot border are carved very spontaneously, rustically and freely. In the early 17th century, the decorative images on the stele border were still influenced by the carving art of the Mac Dynasty, commonly in the form of climbing vines with squash hands, however the width was larger than that of the Mac Dynasty. However, in the middle and late 17th century, the stele border was carved with many different themes, with very little overlap and expressed in a diverse and rich way, especially in the late 17th century. Birds, mice, monkeys, shrimps, fish... were carved on the stele border decoration.
In addition to animals, the stone stele is carved with lotus flowers, lotus leaves, lotus petals, lotus ponds, chrysanthemums, apricot blossoms... creating a rich decorative motif on the stele border. Everything is carved in a lively posture, showing movement and movement, not in a static state.
Thus, looking at the patterns on the stele border, mainly from the period of Canh Tri to Chinh Hoa, we can see the life of growth and development. It is a rustic life with animals associated with the fields and villages. The carved patterns seem to want to pass on to future generations the mark of a prosperous period of the Vietnamese countryside in history.
- The stele base: is the lowest position, but it is here that real and vivid scenes take place. Notably, the base is carved with the image of a turtle carrying a stele, which occupies a large proportion, with the meaning of an animal symbolizing longevity and eternity, to convey information and culture. However, depending on the size of the stele in the relics, the turtle carrying the stele has a suitable shape. The 17th century stele-carrying turtle has many differences compared to the previous period, with an average length of 1.2m to 1.6m; width from 0.6m to 0.9m such as the Dau pagoda stele (Thuong Tin), La Khe pagoda (Ha Dong)... The turtle has a large, fat head, a retracted neck, a slanted head or level with the shell, a flat face, a high, straight, pointed nose, round, bulging eyes attached to the nose, a smooth turtle shell, four legs close to the shell body forming a square block with sharp corners, simple but decisive...
Some steles have a rectangular stone base with an average length of 1.3m to 1.5m; width from 0.8m to 1.0m, especially the base of the Huong Pagoda stele (My Duc) created in the year Chinh Hoa 7 (1686) is 0.5m high and decorated with images of crabs, fish, turtles, rats, buffaloes... carved in separate squares symmetrically with each other. The stele base is attached to the body of the stele, with an average height of 0.2m - 0.3m; width from 0.2m - 0.4m; length from 0.7m - 0.9m such as the Hung Giao Pagoda stele (Thanh Oai), Dau Pagoda stele (Thuong Tin)...
2.3.3. Carving techniques:
In all the stone steles that we collected in localities in the 17th century, it shows that there are many carving tools, many carving workers... Therefore, stone steles of this period are a synthesis of different carving techniques including line carving, relief carving,...
To create a stone stele, the craftsmen have different ways of creating it. First, they can use sawing and chiseling techniques to shape the body and base of the stele... For stele with a base that is a turtle carrying a stele, it is more elaborate than stele with a rectangular base or stele without a base. First, people shape the stone block into the shape of a turtle and carve about 0.2m deep in the middle of the turtle's back, 0.2m - 0.3m wide and 0.4m - 0.5m long. Then, they create a rectangular pin under the body of the stele to attach to the back of the turtle. After shaping the stele, the craftsman smooths the surface of the stele and uses other carving techniques such as line carving, relief carving... to create patterns for the stele.
- Relief carving technique: Compared to previous periods, the technique used most was line carving, but in the 17th century, the technique used most on stone steles was relief carving.
The embossing technique is often used to depict reliefs (statues of the Queen) carved on stone steles such as the relief statue of Thay Pagoda (Quoc Oai)... In addition, this technique is also used to depict images of birds, animals, flowers and leaves on the body of the stele, the border of the stele, the base of the stele of So Pagoda (Thanh Oai), Dau Pagoda (Thuong Tin)... The embossing technique on stone steles has many similarities with the carving technique on traditional wooden architecture of this period.
- Engraving technique : This technique is widely used to carve stone steles. People use the method of carving sunken lines, carving lines to divide rows of columns, drawing lines on the borders of the stele, the stele forehead and the stele foot to create the layout of the stele;
At the same time, it is possible to create certain patterns on the stele. The carving technique was also widely used on wooden architectural structures of this period, by combining it with carving techniques to increase the value of the carvings. This is a simple carving technique, the foundation for other carving techniques, but it is highly effective in defining the borders that create the layout of the stele.
However, each group of carvers has different carving tools, skills, and processes for carving stele inscriptions. There are some groups of carvers who are quite meticulous, first they apply brown water to the surface of the stele, then divide the columns, draw the outlines, write the words, and then carve accordingly. In addition, there are groups of carvers who only write the stele inscription on paper that fits the stele's frame, then stick the paper on the stele, and then carve accordingly; or in some cases, they directly read the text and carve directly onto the stele.
After performing the above methods, the craftsman smoothed the surface of the stele, the brown water disappeared, the column lines were only faintly visible and the lines of letters were deeply engraved in the stele. The stele engraved according to the first two processes were usually more elaborate and had fewer errors. On the contrary, in the third case, the engraved stele was often unbalanced, sometimes missing the engraving, had to engrave small letters on the side, even engraved wrongly, had to be chiseled and re-engraved, this case was usually done by amateur craftsmen.
Thus, the stone stele carving techniques of this period mainly used relief and line carving techniques... These techniques were also widely used in architectural carvings of the same period. In addition, on architecture, artisans also used other carving techniques such as openwork carving and channel carving... These techniques played an important role in creating aesthetic value and a unique style compared to stone stele of previous periods.
2.3.4. Carving features: